Mark Amaru Pinkham is an author, researcher, popular lecturer and teacher, and Director of The International Order of Gnostic Templars (and the associated Mysteries of the Goddess Wisdom School and The Seven Rays of Healing School). Mark has been involved in the practice and teaching of Yoga and Meditation for over 25 years and has lived in ashrams in the U.S. and India, where he traveled widely. He has also been a student and professional practitioner of Western and Vedic (Hindu) Astrology for the past 20 years.

Throughout this spiritual pilgrimage, Mark will share leading-edge material from his current research, as well as fascinating esoteric teachings from his books The Return of the Serpents of Wisdom, Conversations with the Goddess, The Truth Behind the Christ Myth, and The Guardians of the Holy Grail.

Letter from Mark Amaru Pinkham:

Since I began visiting India in the mid 1970’s, I find myself catapulted back to an ancient era every time I return. At such times I remind myself that while most other countries have been conquered and forced to accept western values and traditions, much of India has remained almost exactly as it was hundreds and even thousands of years ago: The Land of Spirituality.

I began my journey to the sub-continent as just another westerner seeking spiritual wisdom. I traveled all over India, visiting many temples, teachers, and ashrams, so I had an opportunity to experience the mystical life of a traveling mendicant first-hand. At one point I lived for 2 years in one ashram, rising every morning well before dawn and devoting myself to meditation, yoga, chanting of mantras, and other spiritual practices until my bedtime at 9 pm. I still often reflect on the unique and powerful spiritual experiences I garnered during that time.

Today, as a tour guide, when I lead a tour to India my goal is still to have as deep a spiritual experience as I have had in the past - while also helping others to do the same. Having been to India numerous times, I am able to share the fruit of my past experience in the sub-continent with the people in my groups by taking them to the most powerful temple cities and the ashrams of the most enlightened spiritual masters. For example, I like to escort my groups north to Varanasi, the holiest city of India on the Ganges River, where yogis never cease to observe their spiritual practices and the cremation fires never cease to burn bright. I also normally take my groups south to Tiruvannamalai, a holy city that is and has been the home of many famous gurus and yogis, including the great master Ramana Maharshi. In the center of this city is the holy mountain of Arunachala, a home of the spirit of Lord Shiva, which has caves full of the spiritual energy of the thousands of yogis who have meditated within them. After visiting the ashram and tomb of Ramana Maharshi, we climb to these caves for what is often the most profound meditation in the lives of our group members.

In order that people in my groups can have direct experience of ashram life, I also take them to the ashram of Mata Amritanandamayi, one of the few universally recognized enlightened masters in India. Here in the tropical jungles of the south Indian state of Kerala, each person has the opportunity to live the life of a monk or yogini while attending the daily chants and meditations offered at the ashram. They also have the opportunity to be in the presence of a living saint, an experience that is considered the greatest of blessings. Such an experience can accelerate your spiritual evolution tremendously.

I am blessed to be able to return occasionally to India, the Land of Spirituality. And, I am doubly blessed to help others have mystical experiences there that are potentially life transforming.